Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) Sees Significant Growth in Short Interest

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) saw a large increase in short interest during the month of February. As of February 27th, there was short interest totaling 11,205,034 shares, an increase of 14.6% from the February 12th total of 9,777,825 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 4,355,884 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.6 days. Currently, 20.2% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Currently, 20.2% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 4,355,884 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.6 days.

Whirlpool Stock Up 1.3%

Shares of NYSE WHR traded up $0.76 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $57.08. The company had a trading volume of 1,016,073 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,564,091. Whirlpool has a 1-year low of $55.79 and a 1-year high of $111.96. The company has a market capitalization of $3.23 billion, a PE ratio of 10.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06, a current ratio of 0.76 and a quick ratio of 0.40. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $78.20 and its 200 day simple moving average is $77.61.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The company reported $1.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.54 by ($0.44). The company had revenue of $4.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.27 billion. Whirlpool had a net margin of 2.04% and a return on equity of 12.98%. Whirlpool’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.57 EPS. Whirlpool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.000-7.000 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Whirlpool will post 9.52 earnings per share for the current year.

Whirlpool Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Investors of record on Friday, February 27th will be paid a dividend of $0.90 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.3%. Whirlpool’s payout ratio is presently 63.72%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently commented on WHR. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Whirlpool from $76.00 to $59.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on shares of Whirlpool from $75.00 to $68.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Zacks Research cut Whirlpool from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Raymond James Financial restated a “market perform” rating on shares of Whirlpool in a research report on Monday. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Whirlpool from a “sell (d)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $82.00.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in Whirlpool by 56.7% in the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 3,120 shares of the company’s stock valued at $281,000 after buying an additional 1,129 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its stake in shares of Whirlpool by 206.5% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 8,528 shares of the company’s stock worth $769,000 after purchasing an additional 5,746 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Whirlpool by 15.0% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 214,918 shares of the company’s stock worth $19,371,000 after purchasing an additional 27,995 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP grew its position in shares of Whirlpool by 102.8% in the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,085 shares of the company’s stock valued at $110,000 after purchasing an additional 550 shares during the period. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Whirlpool by 4.7% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,221,838 shares of the company’s stock valued at $124,189,000 after purchasing an additional 54,584 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.78% of the company’s stock.

About Whirlpool

Whirlpool Corporation is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of home appliances, with a product portfolio that spans major categories such as laundry, refrigeration, cooking, dishwashing and small electrics. Headquartered in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the company designs, produces and distributes its appliances through a network of wholly owned manufacturing facilities, joint ventures and third-party partners. Whirlpool serves both retail and professional markets, offering products under its flagship Whirlpool brand as well as several well-known names including Maytag, KitchenAid, JennAir, Amana, Brastemp and Consul.

In its laundry segment, Whirlpool provides top- and front-load washing machines, dryers and combination units designed to balance energy efficiency, capacity and convenience.